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Dubuque, Iowa, will be the location of the 25th Anniversary National Meeting in 2008. Mark your calendars now - the dates are June 26, 27, 28, 2008. The highlights of this National Meeting will be a special celebration of the 25th Anniversary of the first meeting of the American Conifer Society, three unique private conifer gardens, and two arboretums, one private and the other staffed solely by volunteers.

HOST HOTEL Grand Harbor Resort and Waterpark The 2008 National Meeting will be held at the Grand Harbor Resort and Waterpark located along the riverfront in Dubuque, Iowa. ACS members are to make their own hotel reservations as soon as possible after the registration information has been received in the mail. Grand Harbor Resort and Waterpark 350 Bell Street Dubuque, IA 52001 Phone: 1-563-690-4000 Toll Free: 1-866-690-4006 Email: hotel@grandharborresort.com

Gardens
	1) BICKELHAUPT ARBORETUM The Bickelhaupt Arboretum in Clinton, Iowa, was a gift to the public in 1970 by Bob and Frances Bickelhaupt. The area surrounding their home has been turned into a private arboretum open to the public for all to enjoy without charge. Included in this arboretum is the Heartland Collection of garden conifers, considered one of the finer collections in the Midwest. The collection was started by a donation of a significant number of conifers by ACS member Chub Harper. Here you'll view over 600 accessions of conifers consisting of 14 different genera hardy in the USDA Hardiness Zones 4a to 6a. A special feature is that it contains three naturally occurring witches' brooms and features over 100 one-of-a-kind witches' brooms. The overview of this collection is inspiring because of its combinations of shape, texture, and color in free form beds.
2) DUBUQUE ARBORETUM & BOTANICAL GARDENS AT MARSHALL PARK The Dubuque Arboretum is the only arboretum/botanical garden in the USA staffed entirely by volunteers. Over 250 dedicated individuals maintain the trees, plants and shrubs, and seed-gifts which are all labeled throughout the garden. The last five years have seen major extensions and renovations of various gardens, including the conifer gardens. A new addition to the arboretum is a Japanese Garden, which is still under development.
	3) PRIVATE GARDEN OF JEFF & LORA RATHJE Imagine a one acre lot populated with silver maples, boxelder, Siberian elm, juniper, and arborvitae. This was the horticultural nightmare that confronted Jeff and Lora Rathje when they purchased their home in McCausland, Iowa, in 1988. In addition, the backyard had never been seeded or sodded. Since then, Jeff and Lora, owners of Lasting Beauty Landscaping, have worked diligently to convert their yard into the showcase garden you will see when you attend the 2008 National Meeting. Reflecting Jeff's passion for unusual and rare conifers, the garden now exhibits a beautiful mixture of miniature to large conifers, woody ornamentals, perennials, a water garden, and seating in an arbor complete with a fire pit. Highlights of the Rathje garden include large, colorful swaths of creeping phlox, dianthus, veronica, and creeping thyme that thrive in the sandy, acid soil; and Jeff's favorite conifers, including Abies concolor 'Blue Cloak,' Abies lasiocarpa 'Arizonica Glauca Compacta,' Pinus koreansis 'Silveray,' Pinus parviflora 'Bergman,' and Tsuga canadensis 'Gentch White.'
4) PRIVATE GARDEN OF DIANE DAVE A second featured garden is that of ACS member Diane Dave. Some of Diane's garden is 10 years old and some is 10 days old (a garden is never done, as you know). This large garden consists of many unusual conifers, woody plants, two rock gardens and two ponds with a stream between. Built on a slope, Diane's garden features lots of hardscape to enjoy, including long paths, a gazebo, a pergola and several bridges. Perhaps the most amazing thing about this garden is that Diane and a friend did almost all of the construction and all of the planting. With the exception of about three dozen rocks, it was all done with wheelbarrow, cart, rollers and shovels by Diane and friend. When you visit this garden, you will think it was impossible to do with out some heavy equipment and more than two people.

THE SPEAKERS

Donald R. Lewis

Dr. Lewis is responsible for Iowa's Extension Urban Entomology programs through Iowa State University. He provides university outreach education on insect pest management in the areas of home and commercial vegetable and fruit production, landscape plants, turfgrass, greenhouses, and household pests. He works with students interested in Extension Entomology and horticultural crops insect pest management.

Dr. Lewis is a sought-after speaker because of his sense of humor and down-to-earth presentations on insect pest management.

Jeffery Iles

Dr. Iles is Professor and Chair of the Department of Horticulture, Iowa State University.

Dr. Iles has an integrated research/Extension program that identifies problems and issues relevant to Iowa's nursery (retail and production), landscape installation/maintenance, and tree care industries, and provides solutions, technical support, and science-based information to these increasingly important components of agriculture in Iowa.

Dr. Iles conducts a nationally recognized applied research program committed to solving problems faced by the nursery, landscape, and tree care industry in Iowa and the Midwest. The focus of his research accomplishments include: Landscape Plant Evaluation; Invasive Landscape Plants; and Landscape Plant Usage.

Dr. Iles will lead participants in the 2008 National Meeting on a tour of the Heartland Collection in the Bickelhaupt Arboretum.

James Morris

The Thursday evening presentation will be by Jim Morris, appointed last summer as official ACS Historian. In honor of the 25th anniversary of the first meeting of the ACS, Jim will share some of the